I thank my God for graciously granting me the opportunity. . . of learning that death is the key which unlocks the door to our true happiness.

"Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius."

"[M]usic, even in situations of the greatest horror, should never be painful to the ear but should flatter and charm it, and thereby always remain music."

"As death, when we come to consider it closely, is the true goal of our existence . . ."

"I have formed during the last few years such close relations with this best and truest friend of mankind [death], that his image is not only no longer terrifying to me, but is indeed, very soothing and consoling!"